By Ian Preece
**Top 10 music books of the year: Electronic Sound and the Blue Moment blog**
'Appearing at a time of pandemic and privations, when the futures of those who make and sell records are so uncertain, Listening to the Wind is an unexpectedly moving valentine' The Wire
'Comfort food for the heart and mind. For all the soulless Geffen-worthy wrongs of this world, there are people in the real world honouring a pristine love for music, musicians and fellow music heads. These are the stories Preece went looking for . . . moving onto the next chapter soon becomes a time-consuming pleasure' Shindig!
'By focusing on a select number of labels, there is a clear structure and conciseness to the affair. That is partly where the beauty of Preece’s colorful and detailed literary excursion into the world of esoteric and surreal sounds lies; it provides ... a wealth of information on different artists, outfits, shops, labels, venues, and releases, but it also serves as a great introduction to a massive sphere of captivating and compelling sounds. A beautiful portrait of the day-to-day realities of running an independent record label' Eternal Terror
'Essential reading for anyone mad enough to start a label. Casual nerdy observers will be gripped too' Record Collector
'You can't help warming to his anti-populist folly and soon acquire a shopping list as long as your arm' Mojo
'Delightfully overwhelming in the amount of music to investigate . . . a late-night voice if I ever heard one' Gideon Coe
'If we did a Book Of The Week this is what it would be. It feels a little like a Trouser Press Guide and has that casual authority. Super impressive' Monorail Music
'Like a true music head, Preece explores, leading the reader deeper and deeper into varied worlds of sound, highlighting not only those who conjure it up, but those who seek to preserve it.' Aquarium Drunkard
If there’s a cultural artefact capable of withstanding the vagaries and fickleness of the digital age as well as the printed book, it’s the vinyl record . . .
In Listening to the Wind, Ian Preece sets out on an international road trip to capture the essence of life for independent record labels operating in the twenty-first century. Despite it all – from algorithms and streaming to the death of the high street and the gutting of the music press – releasing a record to serve its ‘own beautiful purpose’, as 4AD’s Ivo Watts Russell once said, is a flame that still burns through these pages. With countless labels, albums and artists to be discovered, this book is for those who share that inextinguishable love for music.
**Features extensive, original interviews with the likes of Analog Africa, Light in the Attic, Thrill Jockey, International Anthem, Dust-to-Digital, Pressure Sounds, Heavenly, Touch, Mississippi, Sublime Frequencies and more!**
Publication Date: 07.05.20
ISBN: 9781785586309
Extent: 720 pages
Format: Paperback & eBook
***Please note, if out of stock at our warehouse, this title can be purchased at all good high street and online booksellers***
By buying directly from our site, you're supporting your publisher and authors. Read any eBook you purchase from us on the Glassboxx app, available on iOS, Android and Desktop.